However, Neubauten soon outgrew the confines of even the broad scope of industrial music. In their 25-plus years, they have produced a dozen studio albums, live records, a remix album and EP, scored theatre pieces, and more.
Lead vocalist Blixa Bargeld is perhaps the best-known member of the group, both for his work with Neubauten and as guitarist for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. His fellow founding members Alexander Hacke and N.U. Unruh have likewise been active in various musical roles outside the group over the years.
Bassist Mark Chung was a member of the group from 1981 to 1994. He founded the publishing house Freibank Music Publishing to handle business affairs for Neubauten and other groups, and has continued in this role (concurrently serving as a senior vice-president of Sony Music International for nine years). Percussionist FM Einheit, was a member from 1981 to 1995, and has also been active as a solo artist and member of groups such as Gry.
Since 1997 the group has also included guitarist Jochen Arbeit and percussionist Rudi Moser.
Neubauten's most recent work has been available exclusively to subscribers to their online home, www.neubauten.org. Neubauten completed the third incarnation of their online project in November 2007 and were touring Europe in 2008 in support of their latest album Alles Wieder Offen.
Currently Einstürzende Neubauten is celebrating their 30th anniversary with a tour through Europe and the United States. In October/November 2010 the band is releasing Strategies Against Architecture IV, the fourth album in the archival compilation series by Neubauten which collates the band’s output from 2002-2010.
Befindlichkeit des Landes
Einstürzende Neubauten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Das langsam verschwindet
So nur phantomschmerz bleibt
Es dringt kaum hörbar ein fieses lachen
Aus der roten info-box
Und in den gräbern wird leise rotiert
Alles nur künftig ruinen
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholia, mon cher
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Und über dem land
Über den schaltzentralen
Über dem stoppelfeld aus beton
Über den heimlichen bunkeranlagen
Die nicht wegzukriegen sind
Marlene go home!
Auch über dem marlene-dietrich-platz
Die neuen tampel haben schon risse
Künftige ruinen
Einst wächst gras auch über diese stadt
Über ihrer letzten schicht
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholia, mon cher
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Und über dem land
I'm zerschnittenen himmel
Von den jets zur übung zerflogen
Hängt sie mit ausgebreiteten schwingen
Ohne schlaf, und starren blicks
In richtung trümmer
Hinter ihr die zukunft aufgetürmt
Steigt sie langsam immer höher
Übersieht letztendlich das ganze land
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
The lyrics to Einsturzende Neubauten's "Befindlichkeit des Landes" describe the state of the land and the future ruins. The scars of the land slowly disappear, leaving only phantom pain. While a malicious laughter emanates from the red info-box, the graves rotate slowly. Everything is just future ruins, materials for the next layer. Melancholy floats over the new city and the land. The lyrics also refer to various places such as the Marlene-Dietrich-Platz and the secret bunker facilities that cannot be removed. The new temples already have cracks, and one day, grass will grow over the city's last layer. The song ends in a question: what is the state of the land?
The lyrics of the song reflect a preoccupation with decay, destruction, and the passing of time. The band members witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the rapid changes in society and the environment that followed. The song explores the idea of past, present, and future, and how these elements intersect and merge. It suggests that everything is temporary and that eventually, all will be just ruins.
Line by Line Meaning
Über dem narbengelände
Above the scarred terrain
Das langsam verschwindet
Slowly disappearing
So nur phantomschmerz bleibt
Leaves behind only phantom pain
Es dringt kaum hörbar ein fieses lachen
A wicked laugh seeps in, barely audible
Aus der roten info-box
From the red info-box
Und in den gräbern wird leise rotiert
And in the graves, there is a quiet rotation
Alles nur künftig ruinen
Everything is just future ruins
Material für die nächste schicht
Material for the next layer
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Mela, mela, mela, mela, melancholia
Melancholia, mon cher
Melancholia, my dear
Schwebt über der neuen stadt
Hovering over the new city
Und über dem land
And over the land
Über den schaltzentralen
Over the control centers
Über dem stoppelfeld aus beton
Over the stubble field of concrete
Über den heimlichen bunkeranlagen
Over the secret bunker facilities
Die nicht wegzukriegen sind
That cannot be eradicated
Marlene go home!
Marlene go home!
Auch über dem marlene-dietrich-platz
Also over the Marlene-Dietrich-Platz
Die neuen tampel haben schon risse
The new temples already have cracks
Künftige ruinen
Future ruins
Einst wächst gras auch über diese stadt
One day, grass will grow over this city too
Über ihrer letzten schicht
Over its final layer
I'm zerschnittenen himmel
In the cut-up sky
Von den jets zur übung zerflogen
Dispersed by the jets for practice
Hängt sie mit ausgebreiteten schwingen
She hangs with outstretched wings
Ohne schlaf, und starren blicks
Without sleep and with a fixed stare
In richtung trümmer
Towards the rubble
Hinter ihr die zukunft aufgetürmt
Behind her, the future piled up
Steigt sie langsam immer höher
She slowly ascends higher and higher
Übersieht letztendlich das ganze land
Ultimately overlooking the entire land
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Was ist die befindlichkeit des landes?
What is the state of the country?
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: ALEXANDER HACKE, ANDREW CHUDY, BLIXA BARGELD, JOCHEN ARBEIT, RUDOLF MOSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bigarvode
I am from Serbia and I just wanna say that Germany have very good music and movies! I love this song! Great job!
@ilgrigio79
Anche in Italia, sappiamo apprezzare la vera buona musica!
@ingsoc3125
I keep restarting just to hear that powerful bass and kick drum beat at the beginning.
Best musical discovery I've made all year, bar none.
@TheRenamay
Eines der besten deutschen Lieder - immer noch! Zeitlos.
@andreeadobre3190
This song in the film Touch Me Not is just superb 💜
@anndova8098
Alles nur künftige Ruinen
Such a beautiful song
@autumnautopsy
You really have to experience this song at a concert once to really feel its power. It is amazing.
@guzy1971
bist ganz recht
@ThomasWohlke
My first Neubauten Concert was a classical Fun-Effect. Starting "Haus der Lüge" they "accidently" shut down the power-supply of the whole festival
@ThomasWohlke
Do you know the Movie "Elektrokohle" with "Neubauten" and Heiner Müller playing in Live in East-Berlin just a few weeks after opening the Wall in December 1989?